


Warm Sun Through the Window

by OrangeRaven989



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Implied Sexual Content, Love Confessions, Mentioned Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Minor Linhardt von Hevring/Lysithea von Ordelia, Minor Marianne von Edmund/Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Minor Petra Macneary/Claude von Riegan, Napping, Post-Golden Deer Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:47:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26801644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeRaven989/pseuds/OrangeRaven989
Summary: When the trauma of wartime keeps Annette from getting a good night's sleep, an old friend makes her an offer she can't refuse.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So the Annette/Hilda B support, huh? Love these two and their perfectly complementary personalities.
> 
> Got two more chapters planned... stay tuned!

Sleep only ever brought nightmares anymore. And that was only if she could manage a few hours of unconsciousness. Most nights Annette lay wide awake, eyes staring up at the cracked wooden ceiling of a room she’d left years ago, only to return to under the worst circumstances imaginable. There was an ache behind her eyes that never went away and a pulsing in her temples that threatened to make her head burst. Rest was impossible. The war was raging and things were looking bad. How anyone could sleep was beyond her.

So she started getting out of bed. Mercie had told her once that it wasn’t good to lay awake without moving. And, honestly, that suited her just fine. The racing thoughts that kept her awake easily translated to frantic energy that could be used to clean her room, fold laundry she’d left on the floor, or even take a walk out past the dormitories toward the greenhouse. Clear nights at the monastery often seemed unreal, as if battle wasn’t coming the next day. But it did little to relax her. It only served to tire her soul, while still keeping her awake.

It was unbearable.

So she choked down what little she could at breakfast and held her head up with the weakest of fists, eyes barely open and temples throbbing. Her hair was a mess—disheveled orange locks that hung down to her chest, unkempt and unbrushed. And though she couldn’t see them herself, she was sure her eyes were blotchy and red, held up by more luggage than she’d brought to the monastery five years ago when she’d attended the Officer’s Academy.

“Wow, you look like you’ve been through hell.”

Annette lifted her head and looked around, catching a flash of pink swoop in beside her. She gave a pathetic nod in Hilda’s direction before yawning obtrusively and poking at her food with her fork.

“Well, I mean, I guess we’ve _all_ been through hell, but…” Hilda trailed off. Sighing, she waved her hand in front of Annette’s face. “Everything okay with you? You know, considering?”

Annette exhaled quietly and put her fork down. “I can’t stop worrying.”

“About what?”

“Everything,” she replied, closing her eyes a moment. “I’m just so afraid of what’s going to happen.” She turned to Hilda. “You heard what happened in Fhirdiad, didn’t you?”

Hilda nodded.

“Father’s still in the city, last I’d heard,” she continued. “And so many people I know from the School of Sorcery are there, too.” She sighed. “But that’s not all. I’m worried about all of us, about Mercie, Claude, the Professor… just, everything. All the time.”

Hilda cracked a gentle smile. “You always were someone who couldn’t stop.”

“I’ve been trying as hard as I can to help everyone out, thinking maybe it would make me worry less,” she said. “I know, that’s pretty selfish, but…”

Hilda shook her head. “Not at all,” she replied. “You deserve to care about yourself, too, you know.” Taking a bite out of her own meal, she poked her fork in Annette’s direction. “Only you would work yourself into this state and think you’re not doing enough.” She swallowed and cleared her throat. “You’re doing plenty. I’m the one who should be stepping up more.”

Annette smiled, just a little. “Sounds like you grew up a bit.”

“Hey!”

No response right away. Instead, she let her tired eyes actually take stock of Hilda Valentine Goneril, her close friend from their days at the academy. In reality she hadn’t had much of a chance to catch up with Hilda—or anyone other than Mercie and the Professor for that matter—since they all got back, what with the Empire launching a surprise attack on the monastery and all. But now that things were a little quieter, at least for the time being, it would be nice to actually reconnect with someone she cared about so much.

But damn. Not only had Hilda grown up in the time they were away, she’d… _grown up_. Not that she wasn’t a bombshell back in the day, but this was different. She was a grown woman, one who’d been through her share of trauma since the start of the war, but she carried herself with grace and actually looked capable of taking on the world. And, of course, her appearance had certainly kept up with her. Annette cleared her throat, finding it hard to look away from the low cut of her dress and the… assets… it featured.

“I just meant,” Annette managed, turning away to hide the burn on her cheeks, “that you seem like you’re ready to shoulder some of the burden. It’s a good thing.”

Hilda scoffed. “If I slack off, I’m dead,” she replied. “I guess that’s as good a motivator as any.”

Annette sucked in her breath at the feeling of Hilda’s hand on her cheek and turned her head back to face her.

“But look at you, Annette,” Hilda continued. “Speaking of growing up…” Her eyes dropped, then slowly rose back up, likely doing the same thing Annette’s had been doing moments before. “I mean, last time we saw each other you were a scrawny little thing.” She beamed. “But damn, you’ve,” she cleared her throat, “ _grown_.”

The heat on Annette’s face intensified.

Hilda smirked before adding, “I think I’m still taller than you, though.”

There was just something about Hilda. Well, it was obvious, really. Her way of flirting with everyone and everything just… felt good. Whether she meant it or not, it was nice to be complimented. Not that Annette could ever hope to hold a candle to Hilda, but still.

Annette shook her head. “I may have gotten an inch taller, but I’m still a neurotic mess,” she replied. “Sometimes I don’t think I’ve grown at all.”

“Being a neurotic mess during a war seems pretty justified,” Hilda said, turning back to her meal. “You just need to stop working yourself past your limits.”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “It’s not just that.”

“Hmm?” Hilda glanced back at her, eyebrows raised.

Annette remained silent for a moment before finally letting it out. “I’m having trouble sleeping.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t know if it’s the work or the worrying. Probably both. But when I close my eyes at night sleep doesn’t come. And even when it does, I get woken up by nightmares.”

Hilda put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed just a little, saying nothing. It was a simple gesture, but effective at capturing exactly what everyone felt. It was true, everyone at the monastery was under pressure, everyone was worrying about a whole list of things. And Hilda understood.

She chewed on her lip for a moment before brightening up. “Hey,” she said simply.

Annette raised her eyebrows.

“Do you remember that day five years ago?”

Annette stifled the urge to laugh. “You’re going to need to be more specific, Hilda.”

The hand on her shoulder pushed a little, in a gentle shove. “Oh, you know,” Hilda continued. “That day you were so exhausted. Mid-afternoon, warm sun through the window…”

Annette’s face burned again. _That_ day. Yes, she remembered that day. That was a day that happened. A very… _memorable_ day. A day she may have thought about on and off for the past five years. Honestly, she was surprised Hilda even remembered it.

“Come on, you remember.”

She was going to make her say it. The burning spread to her ears. She was probably totally red in the face now.

“The day you asked me to take a nap with you,” Annette finally said, her voice barely a squeak. “Is that the one?”

Hilda smiled. “That’s the one,” she said. “How did that nap make you feel?”

Annette gulped. There were a _number_ of answers to that question, most of them not at all what Hilda was clearly going for. So she took a breath and nodded, understanding what Hilda was getting at and trying to calm her nerves at the implications.

“I felt rested,” she replied. “It was probably the best sleep I’d ever had.” She hesitated. “Probably even still.”

Hilda nodded, her expression quite self-satisfied. “So I think the answer is pretty simple, then.”

Annette couldn’t say anything.

Hilda winked. “Just say the word.”

She chewed on her lip. That had been five years ago. They were just barely older than children at that point. Now though? Now was totally different. And confusing. Yes, that was one answer to the original question. Confused. Confused was how the nap had made her feel. Because in trying to figure out just why it was the best sleep she’d ever had, she may or may not have reached a few conclusions.

But it was an open invitation. She could just say the word. If she could manage to get the words out of her mouth, Hilda would snuggle up next to her and soothe her to sleep, and maybe just maybe she’d be able to get some rest.

Her heart thumped in her chest. She shivered, just a little, and thought about what she would say. How to make it sound like it wasn’t a big deal. And really, would she even be able to sleep? Or would she be so distracted by what was happening to be able to calm herself enough to let unconsciousness overtake her?

She gulped. Well, if anything, it would be better than this. Better than feeling like a pile of trash lumbering around on two legs that could barely keep her upright. Smiling in resignation, she turned back to Hilda.

“Worth a try, I guess,” she said, choking back the mixture of excitement and dread that had begun to creep up her throat.

Hilda smiled back, that glowing grin that was impossible not to melt under. “Sounds good to me,” she said. “Let’s go!”

Annette’s jaw dropped. “Wait, now?”

Hilda hopped up and grabbed Annette’s hand. “Of course now,” she answered. “You need it bad. No time to lose.”

She let herself be yanked up by Hilda, and together they scurried off to the dormitory. The stairs were long and exhausting but she finally made it up, and together they slipped into the room just above her own—she’d forgotten that detail over the years.

The room looked mostly the same even now; the only difference being the lack of cute handmade accessories scattered over the desktop. There was no sunlight coming through the window yet—the dormitory windows caught the light on the sun’s descent, and now it was barely mid-morning. But even still the sky looked serene, and Hilda sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to her. Annette obliged, cheeks still burning, and sat beside her.

“Anything you want to talk about?” Hilda asked.

Annette shrugged. “Yeah, actually,” she said. “But not right now. It’s all a little too overwhelming.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

Silence filled the room. Then there was a shift beside her, and when she turned to look she got a glimpse of Hilda leaning back, arms above her head, torso stretched out. Annette’s eyes went wide. And Hilda knew, of course, as evidenced by the mischievous wink she threw in Annette’s direction. She sighed out and kicked off her shoes, then began loosening her dress. Annette, in response, almost choked on her own tongue.

“What… are you doing?”

Hilda raised an eyebrow. “Well, if we’re going to take a nap, I’m certainly going to get comfortable.” She gestured toward Annette’s dress. “You can just throw that over the chair.”

Annette’s face flushed bright crimson. “Um, Hilda?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m… I’m not really wearing anything under it besides my underwear.” Her ears burned hot, her nose as well, and her stomach was doing backflips. Five years ago they just cuddled in their school uniforms. Now Hilda was expecting her to strip down.

And that was… a little too much to handle. Not just the idea of stripping down in front of someone—in front of Hilda, particularly. But the idea that Hilda was encouraging it. As if she wanted to see. What in the world did that mean?

But Hilda was already halfway out of her dress, and it was clear she didn’t have an additional outfit underneath hers either. “Oh, don’t be a prude,” she said, that sultry voice taking on a whole new tone. “I’m sure you look amazing.”

_Not like you_ , she wanted to say, but she clamped her lips shut and just sat there in embarrassed silence, watching Hilda finish taking her dress off. She stood and folded it and set it down neatly on the floor, then returned to Annette’s side with a wide grin.

She wore only a bra and panties, a mixture of white and pink, and once again she stretched back on the bed, arms behind her head. Everything was on display—purposely, it seemed—and Annette just couldn’t pry her eyes away. The curve of Hilda’s body, from her neck to her shoulder to her chest, down her stomach and her hips… everything was so smooth and defined. Her chest billowed out, her stomach flat below her ribs and then rounded at her waist, her hipbones outlined under the stretch of skin that disappeared into the fabric of her panties. Annette was barely able to stop herself from drooling.

Hilda side-eyed her with a smirk. “Drink up, buttercup.”

Annette squealed and turned away. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to stare.”

“Hey, I’d be more offended if you _didn’t_ stare,” she replied. “It’s flattering to know you like what you see.”

“I…”

Hilda giggled. “Don’t be embarrassed.”

“Easy for you to say,” Annette replied.

Hilda propped herself up on her elbows, still stretched out on the bed. “Your turn now,” she said. “Time to lose the dress.”

Annette hesitated, but there was no backing out at this point. It would probably be even more awkward if she did back out. That might even hurt Hilda’s feelings. And… it wasn’t like she didn’t _want_ to. This was kind of a dream scenario, playing out right before her eyes. Then she realized what she was actually thinking and flushed even redder.

Okay. No more time to hesitate. She finally stood up and began taking off the dress, slowly. Very slowly. Her fingers trembled and her stomach would just not settle. But she continued, her breathing ragged, her entire body blushing, and finally the dress was off. She stepped out of it and gently draped it over Hilda’s chair, silently groaning at the sound of Hilda whistling behind her back.

She gulped down the frog in her throat and turned to face the bed, wanting desperately to cover herself with her hands but not giving in, instead letting them flail about stupidly looking for some non-existent place to slip into. Her underwear was simple and white, not frilly and cute like Hilda’s, and it framed her pasty, freckly skin in a way she never found flattering—especially compared to Hilda’s perfect peaches-and-cream complexion. But her heart jumped when she saw Hilda’s eyes widen. Like genuine surprise.

“Wow, Annette,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

More flustered blushing. “What are you talking about?”

Hilda gestured for her to come closer, back to the bed. Annette slowly complied, step by step, until she stood just in front of Hilda, trembling under her gaze.

“Please don’t stare,” she pleaded. “This is so embarrassing.”

Hilda pouted playfully. “What’s embarrassing? You’re gorgeous!” Another smirk. “It’s so unfair that you’ve been hiding this from me for so long.” She patted the bed once more. “Come on, get in.”

Annette sat, eyes drawn down at herself. A figure she really couldn’t complain about, all things considered, but it was impossible not to compare herself to the nearly naked bombshell beside her. Her chest was probably half the size of Hilda’s. She’d grown over the years, but not much. And her curves were… well, barely curves. But there was something there that caught Hilda’s eye, regardless of how impossible that sounded. Her words may have been playful and flirty, but there was no denying that look on her face when she first turned around.

So she slowly lay back beside Hilda, taking care not to get too close. As much as she may have wanted to. Which was… still confusing. But Hilda took that away from her immediately, scooching closer until their shoulders were touching, sending an electric tingle up Annette’s spine. Then she pulled up the blankets and covered them both.

“So,” she said, once again side-eying Annette. “Do you want to be big spoon or little spoon?”

At that, Annette was sure she would simply pass out. The mental picture she had of the two of them napping side-by-side vanished instantly. If Hilda was just play-flirting, this was going too far. There were really going to be… _hands_ involved. Were hands involved last time? Honestly, she couldn’t quite remember. Maybe she blocked it out because it was too embarrassing. But there’d been no spooning, that was for sure. She may have put her head on Hilda’s shoulder, or something. And maybe their ankles had crossed over each other. Or something. But spooning? No, that was new. And exciting. And terrifying.

But she needed to answer. The thought of giving Hilda free reign to spoon her was just way, way too much. So… yeah. That was her answer. Oh, goddess.

“Um,” she managed to squeak. “Big… um, big spoon.”

Hilda’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, good answer,” she said. She twisted over, turning away from Annette, then slid herself back until she was pressed up against her.

Annette drew in a sharp breath, unsure how she could possible flush more without turning purple. There she was. There was Hilda. In nothing but her underwear. Pressed up against her, her backside practically grinding against Annette’s hips, her shoulder blades flat against Annette’s chest, her hair right under Annette’s nose. Annette couldn’t breathe.

Hilda let out a contented sigh. “Wow, you’re really warm.”

No kidding. Her internal temperature was probably off the charts. She could only imagine how hot her skin felt. But Hilda was really warm, too. And soft. And having her this close felt really, really good. Really good.

She turned her head just a little, to the point where Annette could just see her eye. “Don’t hesitate to get handsy,” she said. “You’ll hurt my feelings if you don’t.”

It was impossible to feel any more embarrassed or flustered or anything. Impossible. So that statement almost didn’t even register. And really, just lying there with her hands at her sides while Hilda nestled herself in would be even more awkward than reaching out and holding her. She did choose to be big spoon after all. So she swallowed hard and slipped her right hand under Hilda’s body. Hilda adjusted, cooing almost, and gave her room.

But that was as far as she’d planned. Now that hand had to go somewhere. Had to find something to come to rest on. She scrunched her nose, quickly trying to think of the safest thing to… well, _grab_. Trying to keep her hand steady, she timidly set it on Hilda’s belly, just over her navel. Hilda breathed in audibly but said nothing.

Her left hand slowly settled on Hilda’s hip, but the position wasn’t exactly comfortable. So she slid it upward along Hilda’s flank until it reached her shoulder. Hilda let out a noise strikingly similar to the purring of a contented kitten.

“Come on, Annette,” she said, voice low. “Please, just let loose and get comfy. I won’t bite… unless you tell me to.”

Annette took a deep breath. Okay. It was time to accept what was happening. Hilda could only give her permission so many times. Yes, it was awkward. Yes, she was both excited and terrified. Yes, this may or may not have been a fantasy she may or may not have thought about during the five years they’d been apart. And now it was happening, and Hilda wanted her to get into it. She just had to conquer her nerves and accept that she both enjoyed this and wanted to push it as far as she could. She bit her lip. Her breathing was still shaky, but she took a deep breath, inhaling a noseful of Hilda’s scent in the process. It was intoxicating.

Gingerly she pulled Hilda just a little closer, shifting just slightly to set their bodies in alignment, and tightened her hold. The fingers on her right hand began gently caressing Hilda’s tummy, drawing out more contented purring. That was pretty much all she needed.

She slid her hand down from Hilda’s shoulder and across her chest, resisting the urge to cup one of her breasts but instead just wrapping around her and pulling her in. Pushing out the last bit of trepidation she nuzzled the space between her neck and shoulder, burying her nose in the bright pink hair and inhaling even more of that addicting scent. The caressing continued, one finger gradually nestling its way into Hilda’s navel and anchoring her hold. Hilda giggled and sighed out, surrendering herself to Annette’s embrace.

Everything felt perfect.

“This is so nice,” Hilda breathed. “Get cozy, Annette, and close your eyes. You need this.”

Part of her wondered how in the world she could possibly sleep, but Hilda’s words were true. Annette needed this. Her sleep-deprived eyes and mind were so sore and tired, and everything about this moment was cozy and warm. The butterflies in her belly were still fluttering, but even so she closed her eyes and exhaled, burrowing even further into Hilda’s nape, her lips separated from Hilda’s skin by just a few strands of pink and orange hair meshed together.

The sun was coming through the window when she opened her eyes. Neither of them had moved at all, and with each breath she continued to inhale Hilda. Her right arm tingled, still pinned underneath Hilda’s torso, hand still clutching at her belly. Her left arm was still encircling Hilda’s chest. The glare was tough on her eyes. But the sun’s position meant she’d slept for hours. It was early afternoon, if not later. Goddess, she really did need that nap.

If Hilda was awake, she was certainly pretending otherwise. Maybe she needed it, too. Understandable. The war was wearing on everyone.

It was hard to keep still now, and she began twitching, shaking off the aches of being in the same position for too long. But this betrayed Hilda’s act, and soon enough the pink-haired girl wrapped in her arms started giggling.

“Ah, that tickles, Annette,” she said, voice groggy.

Annette blushed again, removing her hand, then shifted herself and let Hilda go completely. They both rolled onto their backs. Hilda pushed the blanket off, exposing both their bodies to the cool air. Annette immediately shivered, her bare stomach feeling the chill after spending so long pressed against the warmth of Hilda’s back. She glanced over at Hilda, whose eyes were noting the red handprint on her own stomach.

Hilda smirked. “Marking your territory?”

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” Hilda replied, rolling over to face Annette and sliding a hand onto the border of her ribcage. Annette shivered again, but this time not from the cold. “Did you sleep well?”

Annette nodded. “I did,” she said, turning her head but continuing to lie on her back. “Thank you, Hilda.” She swallowed hard before saying the next part. “It seems like I only ever get the best sleep like this.”

Hilda smiled. “Well, then the answer’s pretty simple, I’d say.”

Her nose twitched. A very simple answer indeed. She could guess what was coming, obviously, but the fact that Hilda was just about to put it out there was unthinkable. It was really weird. Yes, Hilda was flirty with everyone, boys and girls alike. And she was flirty with Annette—had been five years ago, and clearly still was. But there was a line between just being flirty and implying that she’d be okay with sleeping together for the foreseeable future. That certainly wasn’t an offer she was extending to anyone else, or there’d be a line ten miles long to get into her bed.

What was her angle?

Annette’s cheeks burned and burned. “Hilda, I…”

“Look,” Hilda replied, sliding her hand up over Annette’s chest—clearly intentionally—and cupping her cheek. “Real talk, Annette.”

Annette looked her in the eye and waited.

“I’m worried about you,” Hilda continued, her expression a little more serious. “I know you can handle yourself out there, but… you know.” She sighed. “You’ve never been one to focus on self-care. And anything I can do help, I want to do it.” A wide grin. “So let me do it, okay?”

The sting of tears burned at the corners of her eyes. Maybe she just underestimated how much Hilda valued their friendship. And that made her heart just completely melt.

“You’d really be okay with sleeping together all the time?”

Hilda beamed. “You make it sound like I don’t _want_ to, Annette,” she said. “And it’s not like we’re students anymore. We’re adults. There’s no assigned sleeping arrangements. The Professor and Seteth aren’t going to put us in detention.” She inched just a bit closer. “Besides, why in the world _wouldn’t_ I want to cuddle with the cutest girl in the monastery every night?”

Annette’s eyes popped. “What… what are you talking about?” She turned away and cleared her throat. “I’m definitely _not_ the cutest.”

“Yes you are.”

She huffed. “What about Lysithea? Or Marianne? Or Flayn?”

Hilda chuckled softly. “Lysithea’s like a little sister,” she said. “Marianne, well… she’s one of my best friends, but between you and me, I think she’s been ogling Ingrid a _whole_ lot lately.” She paused, smiling, as if reveling in that fact. “Though I think Ingrid might be too oblivious to notice.” She shook her head. “And honestly, I haven’t interacted much with Flayn, so I don’t know her too well.” She tapped Annette on the nose, eliciting a quiet squeal. “So that just leaves you, cutie.”

Annette stuttered for a moment before replying. “That’s… uh, that’s not really what I asked, though.” She hesitated. “You described your relationships with them, not whether they were cuter than me, or…” She grumbled. “Ugh, I don’t know what I’m even saying.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “What are _you_ saying, Hilda? Can you just be straightforward?”

Hilda’s hand, still cupping her face, began gently caressing her cheek. “Not really sure how I could be any more straightforward,” she answered, smirking once more. “But, your obliviousness is part of your charm. Let me put it this way.” She leaned her face in so close their noses were almost touching. “I’m yours if you want me, Annette. Just say it out loud.”

Annette was sure she misheard, but Hilda’s expression, and her hands, and her body, and everything were indicating that she very definitely did not mishear. She could barely croak out any words, but she forced herself.

“You mean… like… _romantically_?”

Hilda rolled her eyes and leaned in the rest of the way, pressing her lips against Annette’s hard and with conviction. Annette breathed in sharply but didn’t pull away, and after the briefest second of doubt she pushed back, returning the kiss with as much nervous energy as she could muster. It was happening. This was happening, right now. Hilda was kissing her. Giving a love confession, right here, while they were nearly naked together in bed. Five years of pining—unconsciously at first, ashamedly for a while, then finally with some degree of confidence—actually coming to fruition. Somehow Hilda felt the same way. She wasn’t sure what in the world she could offer, but apparently it didn’t matter. So she lost herself in the kiss, and after a moment it broke and Hilda looked her in the eyes and she couldn’t hide her smile.

“So?” she asked. “Do you want me, Annette?”

She took a deep breath. “Yes, Hilda,” she said. “I… I want you.”

Hilda leaned in for another kiss, this one a quick peck on the lips. “Perfect,” she said, grinning. She nuzzled Annette’s shoulder as Annette had done just before. “Let’s stay in bed a little longer. We’ll have plenty of time for the fun stuff later.”

Annette slipped her arm around Hilda, holding her, mind trying to process the words she just heard. “The… fun stuff?” Then it clicked and her ears caught fire. “Oh, goddess…”

Hilda just giggled. “You’re the best, Annette. Truly.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annette is finally ready to talk about what's weighing on her mind, and Hilda is more than willing to provide emotional support... and other things.

The water in the artificial pond was cold, not that she expected any different. The winter had come, after all, and though the Pegasus Moon wasn’t as cold at Garreg Mach as it would have been in Fhirdiad, dipping toes in the water was still a recipe for frostbite. But Annette sat at the edge of the fishing dock, dipping her toes in the water all the same, wincing at the biting chill. It was soothing, in a way. She smiled. Her eyes and head had finally stopped hurting.

“That’s an easy way to get sick, you know,” came Hilda’s voice from behind her. She looked back over her shoulder, eyeing the cakes in Hilda’s hand.

“That’s not true,” she replied. “The cold doesn’t get you sick. Manuela told me that years ago.”

Hilda sat down beside her but kept her feet on solid ground. “Well, even still,” she said, handing Annette one of the cakes. “Don’t expect me to be able to nurse you back to health.”

She bit into the cake, soft and sweet and still hot from the kitchen. There were fewer people at the monastery than she was used to. Only so many people made it back. Other than her other former classmates—all of whom had plenty of their own business to attend to—there really weren’t the kinds of prying eyes that would have gotten them caught back in the old days. No, now they could sit together out here and enjoy their cakes in peace.

“You know,” Hilda said, cheeks full, “I really, really missed you over the last five years. More than I ever expected.”

“I missed you, too.”

She slid a little closer, and Annette tried hard not to blush. She’d have to learn to get used to this and not let it fluster her so much. But then again, allowing herself to get flustered was probably a good thing, in a way. Ugh. So many complicated feelings.

“But I think our nap is when I originally started crushing on you,” she continued, flipping her pink hair back and finishing her cake. “Came out of nowhere, too. I definitely didn’t expect it.”

Annette swirled her toes in the water, barely making out the ripples in the darkness. “I mean, yeah, that nap was where it all started.” She smiled and finished her own cake, then leaned back and glanced skyward. “I was so confused after. I mean, I thought I liked Ashe for like three whole moons before then.”

Hilda giggled. “We all thought you liked Ashe. Well, all of us except Ashe.”

She hesitated for a moment, thinking back, the fact that Ashe had not come back to the monastery finally registering for real. There was a pang in her chest.

“I didn’t know what I was feeling,” Annette continued, forcing that out of her mind. “Then after the war started and we all got separated, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” She closed her eyes. “I mean, I thought about everyone, of course. But I really worried about you, and I had no idea why it felt different.” She sighed with a smile. “Then I started to figure out why it felt different. Then I knew for sure why it felt different.”

Hilda gently slid her hand underneath Annette’s. “Isn’t it nice to figure yourself out like that?”

Annette looked over, absently threading her fingers through Hilda’s. “Was it the same for you?”

She shook her head. “Nah, I knew pretty early that I liked both boys and girls,” she said. “But it wasn’t until after the war started that I knew _which_ girl I liked in particular.” She gave Annette the familiar side-eye that accompanied juicy details. “Not gonna lie, I did hook up with someone during that time. She was short, had bright orange hair, big bookworm, freckles all over… and I was really into her.”

Annette coughed obtrusively. “Oh,” she said.

“When I realized I was only dating her because she reminded me of you…” she trailed off, smiled, and laughed loud. “ _That_ sure was a wakeup call.”

Annette gripped Hilda’s hand just a little tighter. “Well, I’m glad it all worked out.” She slid even closer. There was only enough space for their handholding between them. “Sorry this didn’t happen before your birthday. It would have been nice to celebrate together.”

Hilda shrugged. “I mean, we literally just got back from the battlefield,” she said. “Half of us were in the infirmary, myself included. It wouldn’t have been appropriate.”

Mustering all her courage, Annette leaned over and pecked Hilda on the cheek. “Well, happy birthday anyway.”

She swore she saw Hilda blush, but it was too dark to know for sure.

“You really are the sweetest.”

Pulling her toes out of the water, Annette leaned in until their shoulders touched. “I’ve been sleeping so well lately. That’s all thanks to you.”

“Hey, I’ve been sleeping better, too,” Hilda replied. “You’re so soft and cuddly at night, and I love being your pillow.”

Burning cheeks were so common nowadays that she was almost at the point of accepting that she’d be in a constant state of embarrassment. But the vulnerability felt nice. Hilda took care to ensure that she always felt safe. So she let her cheeks burn and her spine tingle and she kept holding Hilda’s hand and leaning on her and basking in that vulnerability.

“It just helps to know that someone I care so much about is so close to me,” Annette said. Her cheeks burned even more. “And, you know… you’re soft and cuddly, too…”

“Oh, Annette,” Hilda sighed. “Stop being shy and say what you want to say. I promise it’ll only make you more endearing.”

She groaned and gritted her teeth. As much as it made her squirm, there was just something about the way Hilda would weasel embarrassing things out of her that made her feel good. Saying them was better than not saying them.

“Fine,” Annette said, relenting. “I… I like sleeping on your boobs.” Whole face flushed crimson, she turned to look at Hilda. “Happy?”

Hilda pressed a kiss into Annette’s jaw, then pulled back with a smile. “More than you could ever know.”

They sat in silence for a while, hands intertwined, Annette leaning her head on Hilda’s shoulder. The breeze picked up, its icy chill cutting into them, and soon it became too difficult to stay comfy outside. With a knowing look, they decided wordlessly to take the party indoors, and together they headed for Annette’s room.

“On the bright side,” Hilda said, shivering and closing the door behind her, “at least it’s only going to get warmer from here.”

Annette smiled. “I don’t mind the cold that much.”

“Well yeah, you’re from the frigid north,” Hilda replied. “But Goneril territory never gets even this cold.”

They sauntered over to the bed and sat side by side, silence filling the cold air around them. Annette shivered a little despite her words. And maybe not just because of the chill. Hilda sighed and leaned back.

“Hey,” she said, voice low.

Annette turned and caught her eye but didn’t say anything.

“Before,” she continued. “You know, a few days ago, you said there were things you wanted to talk about.” She raised an eyebrow. “Wanna talk about them?”

Annette smiled and leaned back as well, her shoulder pressing up against Hilda’s. “I don’t even know where to start,” she said. “There’s just been so many things on my mind.” She thought back to their conversation at the pond, and the pang in her chest returned. “Ashe…”

Hilda lowered her eyes. “Yeah.”

“And not just him,” Annette continued. “So many of my old classmates aren’t here. Half of the old Black Eagles aren’t here… though I guess that’s not surprising.”

“You and Mercedes and Ingrid are here,” Hilda replied softly. “And Linny. And Bernie. Dorothea, too.” She smiled again, though it looked like she may have been forcing it. “And I know Petra’s been hanging out with Claude a _lot_ lately.”

Annette sniffed. “It’s just… I worry about everyone. So much. So much it hurts.” She closed her eyes a moment. “Where are they now? Are they all okay?” Sighing, she continued. “I mean, I know they had no reason to come back, but…”

“But Ashe did.”

The words cut right to her heart. “Yeah.” She bit her lip and sniffed again. “He was standing right next to me when we promised to come back for the Millennium Festival.”

“Hey,” Hilda said, sitting up a little and putting her hand on Annette’s shoulder. “Your friends are all with the Kingdom. There’s no reason we have to fight them.”

Annette remained silent. It was true enough that there would be no reason for the Alliance and the Kingdom to clash, but still. The Kingdom was in disarray. Ashe served a house that sat near the Empire. There was truly no telling what was going to happen. And just because she ended up not falling for Ashe didn’t mean he wasn’t one of her closest friends. Felix and Sylvain, too… what would happen to them? Were they even still alive? And her father… no. She couldn’t think about that now.

The feeling of lips against her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts. Hilda’s kiss was quick but she lingered after.

“I know it’s hard not to worry,” said Hilda. “Especially for you. I know how you can get, but you’ll make yourself sick.”

An emotionless smile passed her lips. “Already did that.”

Hilda chuckled dryly. “Yeah, you sure did.” A pause lingered, but then Hilda inched closer to her ear and spoke, voice soft and smooth and oddly soothing. “Just remember you’re not alone here, Annette. You’ve got all of us, especially me.”

Annette turned, eyes wide.

Hilda smirked. “I know the idea of relying on Hilda Valentine Goneril sounds ridiculous, but I promise you can trust me.”

“I do trust you,” she whispered, barely audible.

“Good,” she replied with a smile, then picked herself up off the bed and began undoing her dress.

Annette’s eyes bulged. She stared for a moment before clearing her throat. “I didn’t think we’d be going to bed so early.”

Hilda shrugged and tossed off her dress and shoes before striking a pose in her underwear. The same frilly pink-and-white underwear. Oh goddess. Annette gulped her heart down, knowing Hilda would spend the next few minutes trying to entice her to follow suit.

“Who said anything about going to bed?” Hilda replied. “I’m just getting comfortable. Come on, join me. Let’s forget about everything for a while.”

Her face immediately flushed. She still wasn’t used to this. Saying no at this point was out of the question, and honestly Annette didn’t want to say no anyway. She was just shy. Always so shy. Hilda was helping, sure. But despite her incredible sleep the past few days, her nerves were almost totally shot. Being in such a totally new relationship with a girl she’d been crushing on for years wasn’t exactly the most calming experience.

And her emotions and mental health were all over the place. But seeing Hilda standing there, so much of her body on display… it was enough to distract her. Enough to make her remember the fact that Hilda was here with her. She was a shoulder to lean her head on, a warm torso to cuddle with at night, a soft pair of lips to whisper soothing words in her ear. A heart full of love, willing to go to great lengths to make her feel safe and warm and shielded from the harsh reality of the war waging outside her window, if only for a short while.

That made her want to do the same. Though Hilda didn’t say it often… or ever… she surely had her own worries, her own burdens keeping her awake. This relationship was two-sided. So she rose to her feet and slipped out of her dress as well and stood in her underwear—light blue this time—and shivered as Hilda drank her in.

“I’ll never get tired of looking at you,” Hilda said. “I just can’t get over it. I can’t get over it.” She ambled forward and put her hands on Annette’s shoulders. “You were always cute, Annette. Always. But now…”

She lowered her eyes. “Please stop,” she said, barely a whisper. “I don’t look that good.”

Hilda pulled her into a hug. “Hey, you may not be attracted to freckly ginger girls with big brains, but I happen to go crazy for them.” She squeezed just a bit tighter. “You’re like, exactly my type.”

Annette closed her eyes and returned the hug, her hands slipping around Hilda’s waist and coming together at the small of her back. It was warm. Hilda was so warm and soft against her. Her heart thumped just a little harder in her chest.

When she put it that way, it made sense. Well, kind of. Maybe Annette wasn’t the kind of girl Annette would be interested in. She smiled. But she didn’t have to be. And that was quite a load off.

“I guess that means my type is flirty pink-haired girls with big boobs,” Annette said, low enough that maybe Hilda didn’t hear. But Hilda heard, and she chuckled and hugged even tighter.

Their hug lasted a while. When it finally did break they still remained facing each other, Annette’s hands on Hilda’s waist and Hilda’s hands on Annette’s shoulders, eyes level and eye contact unbreaking. The height difference between them was practically nonexistent, and somehow that just felt right.

The weight of everything going on pushed against her. For almost five years she’d survived in Fhirdiad with her mother, trying to stay out of the paths of soldiers and slowly watching her city turn into something unrecognizable. Lady Cornelia’s rise to power was baffling, but the war had already made her numb to everything and all she wanted was to keep herself and her mother alive. The thought of returning to the monastery was terrifying, but the idea that the people she cared about might be there, alive and well, drove her to go through with it. And now, just maybe, the numbness might finally be wearing off. Her whole body tingled with pins and needles. And there was a ray of hope—Claude and the Professor were not only okay but were planning to fight back. To put an end to the war.

The thought of peace after this long nightmare brought a tear to her eye, and Hilda responded with a soft smile.

“I get like that sometimes, too,” she whispered.

Annette blinked the tear away and tilted her head. “Huh?”

“You’re thinking about… everything, right?”

She lowered her head, grip on Hilda’s waist tightening just a little. “Yeah.”

“It’s hard not to think about it all and feel hopeless.”

Annette nodded. “It’s really hard,” she said. “But it’s kind of nice to know you feel the same way.”

“We’ll get through it, Annette,” said Hilda. “We have each other, and we have everyone else who came back.” She slid her hand over Annette’s shoulder and up to her cheek. “And who knows? Maybe we’ll find Ashe out there and the Professor’ll drag him back here himself.”

Annette smiled despite the pain in her chest. “He definitely would do that, wouldn’t he?”

“Definitely.”

Annette shivered under Hilda’s touch. Her hands trembled where they sat, still clutching those perfect hips, a mixture of skin and fabric both silky smooth. Annette slowly moved her hands up Hilda’s sides to settle just under her ribs. Hilda made that soft purring noise again.

Hilda opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Annette’s lips pressing hard against hers. Her arms pulled Hilda toward her, and they both fell side by side onto the bed. Annette rolled on top, the kiss unbroken, and moved one hand up to caress her cheek. After a moment she pulled back, catching Hilda’s eye and noting the mixture of surprise and… exhilaration? It was hard to pinpoint, exactly, but something told her that her partner appreciated the bold move.

But Annette wasn’t done. Her hand inched down from Hilda’s cheek and stopped under her chin, gently lifting her head before continuing up her arm to take firm hold of her wrist. Her other hand did the same with the other wrist. Hilda cooed.

It was hard to say what came over her in that moment, but she wanted to ride it out and see where it went. She was done thinking depressing thoughts. She was done breaking her own heart wallowing in despair. Hilda was here, giving her all the support she could ever have asked for, and she couldn’t deny her feelings. 

She adjusted her position and straddled Hilda, still pinning her wrists to the mattress, then leaned in and pressed her lips to Hilda’s jaw, just under her ear. Hilda twitched and arched her back, sighing in contentment. Annette’s hand traveled back toward Hilda’s torso, stopping at her elbow first before returning to its place at her ribs. She slowly kissed down her jawline to her neck, then stopped just at the collarbone.

“Mmm, are you sure you haven’t done this before?” came Hilda’s voice.

Annette didn’t stop to reply. She was drunk on the taste of Hilda’s skin, her kisses getting a little wetter and her grip tightening. Hilda freed her other hand and wrapped her arms around Annette and pulled her all the way in. Annette returned to meet her lips.

There may have been tongue. And teeth. And it was incredibly sloppy and uncoordinated. But it was raw and real and driven by a whole horde of bottled-up emotions and desires, bottled up for years and only now bubbling up to the surface. Something she wanted was finally hers—something in her life she actually could take control of and hold close and keep safe. She had Hilda. If nothing else, she had Hilda.

It truly felt like a dream, and it was hard to believe it was really happening. All those years spent thinking about cuddling and kissing Hilda. All that time wondering what else could happen, if ever she saw her again. The crushing realization that not only might she never see her again, but that she could be killed at any moment and Annette would never know. It had worn her down so, so much. But now she was here, lips pressed to Hilda’s neck, her chest, her stomach, her thighs, leaving bite marks where they’d undoubtedly be visible the next day, not caring about anything in the world except how much she treasured the woman beneath her and how grateful she was to the Goddess that they were finally reunited.

Hilda moaned under her weight. Annette just hoped Bernadetta wasn’t listening through the walls.

They lay side by side in silence for a long time. Hilda’s body glistened with sweat. Annette’s chest heaved and her stomach twitched as the cool air finally reached it. Her skin quickly became covered in goosebumps. Finally Hilda turned and caught her eye.

“I’m glad you had fun,” she said, barely whispering. “That was some pretty good work if I do say so myself.”

Annette couldn’t remember what words were, so she just panted and smiled.

Hilda turned over and began running her fingers along her hipbones. It took everything in her power to stifle the ticklish laugh bubbling in her throat, though once Hilda’s fingers began tiptoeing across her belly it was totally over. She giggled, her stomach muscles contracting, and Hilda smiled wide. Her index finger slipped into Annette’s navel and wiggled around, eliciting even more giggles.

“Mental note,” Hilda said. “Tickle Annette’s tummy whenever possible.”

Annette winced.

“Gotta say, I like this take-charge side of you,” she continued. She winked seductively. “Command me like one of your battalions, mistress.”

Annette’s face flushed. “Sh-shut up…”

Hilda laughed. “Seriously, though,” she said, laying her hand flat on Annette’s stomach and beginning to gently caress the spot between her navel and hip, “it’s nice to have something good to hold on to right now, you know?”

Annette exhaled slowly. “Yeah.” She leaned in until their noses were almost touching. “It is nice.”

Hilda leaned in the rest of the way and placed a light kiss on her lips. Then, in one quick motion, she pulled Annette back on top of her, pressing her face into her chest. Annette gasped but quickly settled in, nuzzling her favorite pillows. Their clothes had long since been abandoned, and Hilda’s skin radiated an intoxicating warmth. She could feel Hilda’s heart racing against her cheek as fingers slowly combed through her hair, and she felt at ease.

“People are starting to talk,” Hilda said, a hint of pride in her voice.

“Great,” Annette mumbled into Hilda’s chest.

She chuckled. “It’s nothing bad,” she replied. “Just a few rumors that we’re probably a thing.”

Annette didn’t say anything, but her own heart tingled. They were a thing. And Hilda was happy about it. And people knew, and Hilda was happy about that too. Goddess, she could just die on the spot of pure joy. She snaked her arms underneath Hilda’s body and clutched her tight, never wanting to let go.

“Of course, if it were up to me, I’d want the whole monastery to know who owns these boobs.”

Groaning, Annette squirmed just a little but continued nuzzling said boobs. “We… we really don’t need to make a spectacle of ourselves…”

“Boring,” Hilda sang. “Anyway, it seems like we’re not the only ones pairing off.”

Annette glanced up at that. “Really?”

“Yup.”

“Who?” she asked. “Ingrid and Marianne?”

Hilda snorted. “Oh Goddess no,” she said. “Can you imagine either one of them ever admitting anything to each other?”

Annette smiled, knowing it was all too true.

“I’ll have to get involved,” she continued. “Just a little push.” She sighed. “I’m a sucker for a good heroic-knight-gets-the-princess story.”

“So if not them, then…?”

Hilda grinned. “You’ll never guess.”

“Tell me!”

“Linny and Lysithea.”

Annette almost jerked her head up in surprise, but the cushion of Hilda’s boobs was far too comfortable. So she gasped instead, lifting her wide eyes as far as she could without moving her head.

“Seriously?” she said, voice a bit louder than she intended. “You’re right, I never would’ve guessed. I can’t believe Lysithea, of all people, would be able to put up with his… you know…”

“His bullshit?” Hilda laughed. “Yeah, no kidding. But apparently she doesn’t mind, and he seems to be really into her.”

“You know,” said Annette, “he actually kind of reminds me of you.”

Hilda’s stroking fingers stopped cold. “Excuse me?”

Annette giggled. “Come on, if I said ‘a lazy bitch who wants to nap all day and hates fighting on the front lines,’ which one of you would I be talking about?”

The stroking resumed. “You’re lucky I love you, Annette.”

And then everything stopped, including Annette’s heartbeat. She practically choked on her own tongue, and this time she actually did lift her head. Eyes wide as saucers and mouth agape, she stared into Hilda’s equally wide eyes. Clearly that slipped out, but there was no taking it back now.

“You… you what?”

Hilda’s face was a color Annette had never seen before. Hilda. Was blushing. Like, genuinely embarrassed or vulnerable or whatever… an emotion that she usually seemed totally immune to. She quickly glanced away and cleared her throat.

“Um,” she said, stammering. “I… love you, Annette.”

Silence echoed loud between them. Annette’s heart resumed beating at about three times its normal pace. She was literally lying naked in bed after blistering sex with Hilda, and even so she had never been more flustered than in this exact moment. She tried to speak but the words died in her throat. She almost felt dizzy.

“Hilda, I…” she managed to squeak out.

Hilda lowered her eyes. “Sorry, it kind of… slipped. If you’re not ready for that, it’s totally okay, and—”

“I love you, too.”

Hilda’s eyes snapped back to meet Annette’s. She didn’t say anything. Instead, her brow softened and a smile slowly crept across her face. “You… you really had me going there.”

Annette leaned in and kissed her for what seemed like the millionth time. She squeezed tight, as if holding on for dear life, and let herself sink into the woman in her arms, melting with her, their bodies and hearts meshing together into one. The cold outside could never reach them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Find me on Twitter @OrangeRaven989


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the war finally over, Annette and Hilda make plans for the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping things up with a little fluff. Also, Ingrid and Marianne finally get a little screen time.
> 
> I may do more with this timeline in the future. Don't know how long I'll be able to stay away from Hildannette shenanigans.

Annette wept when Nemesis fell. Not immediately—she was too shell-shocked for that. She had taken out the reanimated corpse of her own crest-bearer, Dominic, for one thing. That was shocking enough. But the realization that it was over—all of it, every last component of the conflict that had driven up her anxiety, that had grasped her in the clutches of fear for the better part of five years, was over. And that didn’t hit her until they were back at the monastery.

She wept. The onslaught hit her and didn’t stop. Five years of torment and anguish, both physical and especially mental, flooded out of her in the only way it could.

It was actually Ashe who found her like that and held her close. Ashe, who had abandoned her for so long and finally came back after a good convincing from the Professor. How poetic was that? She buried her face in the folds of his clothes, pounded her fists against his chest, screamed and sobbed into his ear. But he held her, let her unleash on him, and comforted her. Soothed her. Then he sent for Hilda as soon as she was coherent again. Hilda didn’t waste any time getting there.

The days passed slowly after that, and Annette could barely think of what to do with herself. With no war council meetings, no training, no supply runs… there was nothing to do. And that only made her unbearably restless. She asked around the kitchen for opportunities to help—they shied away from her. She cleaned the library twice over and took multiple shifts on greenhouse duty. But there was nothing actually productive. No goal to strive toward. It drove her crazy. Hilda just laughed at her and took her bed. They spent a lot of time in bed.

Hilda cried, too. Privately, in Annette’s arms as they lay in bed together, Hilda finally let it out. It was a few days later, and Annette could understand the delayed reaction—she’d had the same reaction after the evacuation five years ago. It hadn’t been until she returned home to Fhirdiad that she became a blubbering mess in her mother’s arms. And Hilda had always been one to put on a strong face and refuse to let anyone see her cry. But she did cry, and Annette was there to hold her and stroke her hair and tell her that everything was going to be all right. That the worst was over. She pressed soothing kisses into her forehead. She squeezed tight until she thought Hilda would pop.

Then she held her after she cried herself to sleep and didn’t move for three hours. She smiled. She would love Hilda forever.

After two weeks there was talk about reopening the Officer’s Academy. Claude and Petra had already left Fodlan, and some of their friends were making arrangements to depart the monastery as well. Linhardt and Lysithea vanished—Linhardt had mentioned to Annette that he was looking into researching how to remove Lysithea’s crests, and though she offered to help him with the endeavor he shook his head. Despite the pang of worry that clutched her chest, she smiled and silently nodded. Lysithea was in good hands. Linhardt wasn’t exactly lazy when it came to things he truly cared about. He would solve it.

Someday, in ten or twenty years’ time, she’d get a letter from Lysithea with no return address and she’d cry again and keep it in a box under her bed for the rest of her life.

Both Mercie and Hanneman asked Annette if she planned on staying at Garreg Mach after the grand reopening, Hanneman even offering her a teaching position, but she turned it down. Gratefully, but without hesitation. She’d had the conversation with him before, about becoming a teacher. And it was a dream she wanted to follow. But not here. Not at the monastery, where despite all of the happy memories of her school days, and of her relationship with Hilda, she would also be forced to relive the trauma of the war day in and day out just by looking at the facilities and the training grounds.

No, she’d take up teaching elsewhere. Somewhere new. Somewhere she could make new memories. Somewhere paths crossed from all over the world, whether within Fodlan or outside it, where people would come together despite their backgrounds for the shared purpose of learning. Garreg Mach had been that, once upon a time. But she needed to help build something that stood above it, that didn’t fall prey to its trappings.

Maybe that made her a heretic. But Seiros needed to keep her nose out of it.

She made her way to the dining hall and grabbed something sweet before scanning the tables with her eyes. She found Hilda sitting with Ingrid and Marianne, and she hurried over to join them.

“Fhirdiad?” Hilda exclaimed, eyes wide. “Why there?”

Ingrid’s expression soured. “Returning to Galatea territory is out of the question, ever since I abandoned them for the Alliance.” Then she turned to Marianne and smiled. “Plus I want to show her how Faerghus looks in the wintertime.”

Hilda pouted. “No, Marianne, you cannot live so far away from me. It’s like a whole separate country! I won’t allow it.”

“Well,” Marianne replied, “technically it’s not a different country anymore, so…”

“And you’re okay with the cold?” Hilda continued, puffing her cheeks.

Ingrid and Marianne both shivered. Then Ingrid caught Annette’s eye. “What are you two doing?”

Annette smiled dreamily. “We’re moving to Derdriu,” she replied. “There’s a sorcery school there that’s just starting up and looking for teachers, and Hilda wants to open a crafts shop.” She blushed. “And… I kind of want to live by the ocean. I think I’m ready for a break from the cold.”

Hilda slipped her arm around Annette and slid up beside her. “Only problem is, Derdriu is super expensive.”

Marianne raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t your family have a lot of money?”

Hilda waved her off. “I’m planning to pay my own way from now on,” she said. She pecked Annette on the cheek. “We both are.”

“Good for you two,” Ingrid said, smiling. Then she sighed. “I have to admit, Derdriu does sound nice. Doubt I could afford it, though.”

“It is nice,” Marianne replied. “I’ve been there before.”

Hilda let out a gasp. “I know, you two should totally move there with us!”

All three pairs of eyes locked onto her, wide and incredulous.

“Huh?”

“Look, Derdriu’s expensive, but if all four of us get a place we can cut living costs down to nothing,” Hilda said. “There’s so much opportunity there for you two, and with us sharing the cost you’ll definitely be able to afford it.” She was practically glowing. “And think of how much fun we’d all have in a beach town together!”

Annette smiled. “That sounds like so much fun!” She made puppydog eyes at Ingrid. “Come on, don’t you want to see the ocean?”

Marianne and Ingrid exchanged glances. Ingrid chewed on her lip.

“Well, maybe,” she said. “We’ll have to talk it over.”

Marianne caught Annette’s eye and grinned. “I think you may have already sold her on it,” she said.

When they returned to Annette’s room she glanced over at Hilda. “Smooth,” she said, smirking.

Hilda batted her eyelashes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t pretend like you didn’t just finagle them into paying half our rent.”

Hilda feigned offense. “You say that like I’m not saving them from a life of bitter cold in favor of fun in the sun.” She slinked behind Annette and wrapped her arms around her. “Besides, think of how much fun it’ll be for all four of us to be together. Now that we finally have peace, we’ll get to enjoy our lives.”

Annette closed her eyes and shuddered. “Yeah, it will be nice.” She felt Hilda’s lips against her neck and let out a quiet moan.

“And we’ll be together, too, of course.” Another kiss. “No training, no battles, no interruptions.”

Annette turned around and cupped Hilda’s cheek before leaning in and pressing a kiss into her jaw. “I’m so happy, Hilda,” she said. “I never thought I could be, but I am.”

“Me, too.”

She leaned in for another kiss, this one on Hilda’s lips. It quickly escalated to tongue, which led to clothes coming off and Annette pushing Hilda to the bed and straddling her. It was a common enough occurrence, and although Hilda was probably strong enough to wrestle her way to the top she never did. Annette smirked between kisses. She was almost certainly too lazy to bother. Why get on top and do the work when she could just let Annette pamper her? But that was fine—Annette certainly enjoyed doing the pampering. She did own those boobs, after all.

It struck her that this might be their last time making love in the monastery, so she made the extra effort to ravage Hilda. To give her one last good memory here to wash out all the bad ones. The idea that she was able to ravage Hilda, of all people, was also something that struck her. If only she could go back in time a few years and tell that to the poor, confused, hopeless Annette from back then. Things sure do get better.

Hilda certainly didn’t complain. In fact, she quite vocally did the opposite.

They lay facing each other afterward, panting but also glowing. Annette couldn’t help noticing that Hilda was still smiling… she had been the whole time, except when she was moaning. It was infectious, and Annette couldn’t put away the smile on her own face. They kissed. Then they kissed again. She was so fucking in love she couldn’t stand it.

She pulled Hilda in close, their bodies pressing together so tightly she couldn’t tell where hers ended and Hilda’s began. Hilda nestled into the nook between her neck and shoulder, planting a wet kiss there and nipping slightly with her teeth. Annette shivered—she was used to wearing Hilda’s bite marks with a sort of pride, and every so often she returned the favor. But not this time. Instead she simply stroked Hilda’s hair and let her teethe, never wanting the moment to end.

But finally it did end, and Hilda glanced up at her. She looked almost drunk.

“Annie,” she whispered. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Annette’s entire body tingled. She was sure her face was bright crimson.

“You have no idea how grateful I am that you agreed to take a nap with me that day five years ago,” she continued. “Something so silly… I practically goaded you into it.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“It was the start of everything.”

Annette leaned in just enough that the tips of their noses were touching. “And then you got me to sleep with you again.” A pause. “Literally.”

“Fewer clothes that time.”

“No clothes any time after that.”

Hilda giggled. “I like you best that way.” She ran her fingers over whatever flesh she could reach without actually shifting her position. Annette shivered.

“Hilda…”

Hilda sighed and went back to nuzzling for a moment. “I’m so cozy… I never want to move again.”

“So don’t.”

“I have to.”

Annette continued stroking her hair. “Why?”

“Because there’s something I want to give you and it’s tucked away in my dress.”

Always so lazy. Annette rolled her eyes but her smile remained. “So roll over, reach down, and get it.”

A long moment passed, but eventually Hilda rolled over. Annette adjusted her position to accommodate the shift, but the warm press of Hilda’s body was gone and her skin suddenly grew chilly. She grabbed hold of Hilda once she began rooting around in the pile on the floor that was her dress. Almost spooning her, just like the time when they first began their relationship. How shy she’d been back then, and now she could hardly keep her hands off. And Hilda was perfectly fine with that.

Eventually she found what she was looking for, then rolled back over and held it in front of Annette’s face. It was a ring.

Annette’s eyes went wide, and her smile disappeared into a gape. “Is… is that…?”

Hilda beamed. “I made it myself,” she said. “It’s…” She bit her lip. “It’s for you, Annie.”

Seeing Hilda look so vulnerable was a rare treat. Her heart was pounding. The ring was so beautiful. “Oh, Goddess…” she said, unable to think of anything more. Her face burned hot. “Are you…?”

Hilda’s own face was flushed. Her eyes were sparkling, and there was a hint of tears. She cleared her throat. “I’d… get down on one knee, but I’m way too comfortable right now. So…” Her eyes closed and the tears seeped out from the corners. “Do you think you might want to keep me?”

The breath left her body, and the sting of tears in her own eyes was overpowering. She gulped her heart down. Everything was overwhelming in this moment, but she squeezed Hilda and dug in her nails, wanting nothing more than to hold her tight and never let go.

“Oh, goodness, Hilda,” she whispered, unable to stop the tears from flowing. “Yes, of course… of course I want to keep you.” She pressed a kiss into whatever she could put her mouth on. Then another. And another. “I’ll keep you forever, Hilda.” She choked on her own tears, barely able to get the words out. “I love you so, so much.”

The ring fit her perfectly, and she couldn’t stop staring at it. Hilda had made it by hand. For her. It radiated with her love. She glanced back at Hilda’s glowing face and pulled her in once more for another kiss of many to come. Time hung around them, calm and quiet, just like that day five years ago. Warm sun through the window, the two of them together in bed, drifting off into a sleep full of the sweetest dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Find me on Twitter @OrangeRaven989

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Find me on Twitter @OrangeRaven989


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